Check-holder.



J. GRIEVE.

CHECK HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED rm 12, 1906.

91 0., 126. Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

IT STAT FFTCF.

JAMES GRIEVE, OF DODGE CITY, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HARRY L. HUBBARD, OF DODGE CITY, KANSAS.

CHECK-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Application filed February 12, 1906. Serial No. 300,770.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES Gnmvn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dodge City, in the county of Ford and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Check-Holder, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in check holders.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of check holders used by conductors on passenger trains, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient device, adapted to adjust itself automatically to the number of checks contained in it, and capable of holding the checks uniform, and of permitting the same to be readily removed as required.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device adapted to expose the ends of the checks to enable a number and date to be written on them, and capable of holding and exposing two colors of checks, for use in connection with local and through passengers.

Also the invention has for its object to provide a device, having means for holding two record checks or slips for keeping tally on the checks issued by a conductor.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invent-ion.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a check holder constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken at right angles to the pivot of the sections or members of the adjustable casing. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the check holder showing the sections or members of the casing locked in their open position for filling the device. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken transversely of the pivot of thcsections or members. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken longitudinally of the pivot of the sections or members of the casing. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-43 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the pivotally mounted check supports.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

1 and 2 designate two plvotally connected inter-fitting sections or members of an adjustable casing, which is caused to automatically adjust itself to the number of checks 3 contained within it. Each section or member of the casing consists of a bottom 4-, an end wall 5, and parallel tapering side walls (3 and 7, which are provided with tapering overlapping extensions 8, as clearly shown in the accompanying drawing. The end walls are arranged perpendicularly to the bottoms at of the sections or members of the casing, and the sides are pierced adjacent to the inner end edges of the bottoms 4L, by means of a transverse pivot 9, which connects the .two members to the casing, and on which is disposed a coiled spring. The tapered extensions project beyond the vertical plane of the pivot 9 and maintain the side walls in overlapped relation through out both the opening and closing movements of the sections. The coiled spring 10 has terminal arms or portions 11, extending in opposite directions, and which are connected to the sections or members 1 and 2 of the casing by means of loops 12, tormedby splitting or partially severing portions of the contiguous side walls of the said sections or members. The split portions are bent inward, as shown, to form the said loops 12, and the terminals 11 of the spring pass through the loops. The spring is adapted to swing the pivotally connected sections or members of the casing inward to close the casing automatically, as the checks are removed.

The end *alls 5 of the sections or members of the casing, are parallel with each other and vertical, when the sections or members are open, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. The sections or members are locked or held in such open position, against the action of the coiled spring, by means of a pair of catches 13, to enable the device to be conveniently filled with checks. The catches consist of curved arcuate tongues, formed by partially splitting the side Walls 7 and extending upwardly therefrom, and adapted to engage the inner edges of the side walls 6 as shown. The tongues have their upper or engaging ends bent outward slightly beyond the side walls 7, as shown in Fig. 6, and they are compressed or moved inwardly from such position in the closing movement of the sections or members of the casing. The resilient catches are adapted to spring outward automatically into engage ment with the side walls 6, when the latter are carried beyond their engaging ends in the opening movement of the sections or members of the casing. The resilient catches are compressed to release the side walls 6, and cause the sections or members to be automatically closed on the checks by the action of the spring 10. When the sections or members of the casing move inwardly from the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, the end walls converge upwardly toward the upper or outer portion of the checks, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The sections or members carry pivotally mounted independently adjustable check supports let, suspended within the adjustable casing and arranged vertically when the device is in an upright position, and provided at opposite sides, at an intermediate point, with laterally projecting integral pivots 15, which are arranged in suitable openings 16 Y of the side walls 6 and 7 of the sections or members of the casing. The openings 16 are located at the tops of the side walls 6 and 7 adjacent to the upper edges of the end walls 5, and the said check supports are movable independently of the sections or members of the casing, to preserve the parallelism of their upright portions for holding the same against the checks, to maintain the latter uniform and in a vertical position, when the device is held upright.

The check supports consist of upright clamping'portions, and horizontal supporting portions, which receive the checks and prevent the same from dropping downward within the device from the position shown in Fig. 2. The pivotal mounting of the check supports at an intermediate point, cause the same to operate as levers, and through their engagement with the checks to maintain their engaging portions in parallelism. The lower arms 17 of the check supports are substantially L-shaped, and have inwardly extending horizontal supporting portions 18, which are of substantially the same length as the bottoms of the sections or members of the casing, to form a supplemental bottom or support, when the device is open, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4c. The supports 14 are cut away at their inner edges to reduce the width of their lower portions to permit the' same to pass each other in the closing movement of the device, and as the sections or members of the casing swing inward, the horizontal supporting portions 18 are adapted to move inwardly beyond the pivot 9.

The up oer arms 19 of the check supports are located at diagonally opposite corners of the device, and have side and end flanges 20 and 21, which engage the checks at diagonally opposite corners, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The side flanges 2O engage the checks at the side edges thereof, and the end flanges 21 engage the end checks at the outer faces of the same. The arms 19 are also provided with inwardly extending lugs 22, which project inward over the tops or outer ends of the checks, to retain the same within the holder, and to prevent the checks from accidentally dropping out of the device, when the latter is inverted. This will enable the device to be carelessly carried without liability of losing any of the checks. The checks extend outward or upward be- .yond the casing, and the diagonal arrangement of the upper arms of the supports, expose the checks at diametrical opposite points, and thereby enable two colors of checks to be conveniently held for local and through passengers, and by exposing the end checks, the latter are conveniently held in position for enabling a number and date to be readily marked on them. In order to enable a record to be kept of the checks of each color issued by a conductor, the end walls 5 are provided with means for holding a tally strip or sheet 23. Each end wall is provided adjacent to their ends, with upper and lower transverse slots or openings 24s and 25, and the intermediate portion 26 of each wall, is depressed between the transverse slots or openings 24 and 25, to form a seat for tally or record strips or sheets, so that the same will lie below the plane of the adjacent portions of the end wall 5. By this depressed arrangement of the supporting portion, the device may be handled freely without liability of displacing either of the tally checks or strips. The tally checks or strips 23 are applied to the device by inserting the ends through the upper and lower slots or openings 24: and 25, and the tally strips or checks may be readily placed in the device and removed therefrom, and can be kept as a record of the trips made by a conductor. 7

Although the device is shown in the accompanying drawings as a check holder, yet it will be readily understood, that by increasing the size of the several parts, it may be advantageously employed as a file holder, or for kindred purposes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;

1. A device of the class described comprising a casing composed of two duplicate sec tions, each consisting of a straight bottom Wall, a straight end wall arranged perpendicular to the bottom, and side walls, the side walls of the two sections being pivoted together at the inner ends of the bottoms and having tapered extensions projecting beyond the vertical plane of the pivot, so that the side walls are maintained in overlapped relation throughout both the opening and closing movements of the sections, and means carried by the casing for normally supporting tickets in a projecting position with relation to the sections.

2. A device of the class described comprising a casing composed of two duplicate sections, each consisting of a straight bottom, a straight end wall arranged perpendicular to the bottom, and side walls, the side walls of the two sections being pivoted together at the inner ends of the bottoms and having tapered extensions projecting beyond the vertical plane of the pivot, so that the side walls are maintained in overlapped relation throughout both the opening and closing movements of the sections, means for automatically closing the sections, and a resilient tongue carried by one of the side Walls of one of the sections and arranged to engage the edge of the overlapping tapered portion of the other section for locking the sections in their open position.

A device of the class described comprising a casing composed of two sections or members pivoted together at one end, and an independently movable support suspended within the casing and pivoted to the same at the end opposite the pivot of the sections, said movable support consisting of a side for engaging the contents of the casing and a bottom arranged to support the contents normally in a projecting position with relation to the casing.

t. A device of the class described comprising a casing composed of movable sections, and a support carried by he casing and consisting of a side for clamping the contents of the casing at one side thereof, and a bottom arranged to support the inner ends of the contents of the casing, said support being also provided with means arranged exteriorly of the casing for engaging the contents of the same.

5. A device of the class described comprising a casing composed of movable sections, and a support carried by the casing and consisting of a side for clamping the contents of the casing at one side of the same, and a bottom arranged to support the inner ends of the contents, said support being also provided with an arm arranged exteriorly cf the casing and having flanges arranged at an angle for engaging the contents at the corner thereof.

6. A device of the class described comprising a casing composed of sections pivoted together at one end, and a pair of clamping members pivoted to the sections of the casing at the free ends thereof and arranged in parallel relation for engaging the contents of the casing at opposite sides thereof, said clamping members being movable independcntly of each other to maintain their parallelism when the sections of the casing are moved toward or from each other.

7. A device of the class described comprising a casing composed of sections pivoted together at one end, and a pair of spaced cooperating supports pivoted to the sections at the free end thereof and extended into the asing for clamping the contents atopposite sides thereof, and prrwided with means for supporting the inner ends of the contents.

8. A device of the class described comprising a casing composed of sections pivoted together at one end, and spaced cooperating supports pivoted to the sections of the casing at the free ends thereof and extending into and projecting beyond the said casing to support the contents and also to firmly hold the same in a projecting position.

9. A device of the class described comprising a casing composed of sections pivoted together at one end, and spaced cooperating supports pivotally connected with the sections at the free portions thereof and having inner bottom portions arranged to support the inner ends of the contents of the casing, said bottom portions being arranged side by side and movable inwardly past each other as the contents of the casing are removed.

10. A device of the class described comprising a casing composed of sections pivot-- ed together at the bottom, and substantially L-sh'aped spaced supports pivotally connected with the said sections at the top of the casing, and consisting of vertical sides arranged in parallelism at opposite sides of the casing to, clamp the contents thereof at opposite sides of the same and movable independently of the casing to maintain their parallelism in the opening and closing movements of the casing.

11. A device of the class described comprising a casing composed of two sections pivoted together at one end, and opposite spaced supports pivotally connected with and carried by the sections of the casing and extending into and out of the same, and consisting of sides arranged to clamp the contents of the casing at opposite sides thereof, bottom portions arranged to support the innor ends of the contents of the casing, and outer portions arranged to engage the con tents at the outer ends thereof for holding the said contents on the bottom supporting portions.

12. A device of the class described, comprising a casing having movable members, and a support carried by the casing and extending into the same to receive the contents "with an exterior arm having side and end flanges, and provided at its outer end with a lug for engaging the contents of the casing at the outer ends thereof.

13. A device of the class described, comprising a casing having movable members, and a support carried by the casing, and consisting of an inwardly extending substantially L-shaped portion for supporting the contents of the casing, and an outwardly extending arm projecting beyond the casing, and having means for engaging the contents of the same at the outer ends thereof.

14. A device of the class described, comprising a casing having movable members, and a plurality of supports pivotally connected with the said members and provided with supporting portions and having parallel engaging portions.

15. A device of the class described, com prising a casing having movable members, and independently movable means pivoted at intermediate points to the members at the top of the casing, and extending into the same and projecting therefrom.

16. A device of the class described, com

17. A device of the class described, corn-i prising a casing having clamping means, and provided With opposite slots or openings arranged to receive and hold the ends of a record strip or piece, whereby the record strip or piece is supported exteriorly of the casmg.

18. A device of the class described, comprising a casing having clamping means, and provided with opposite slots or openings arranged to receive and hold the ends of a record strip or piece, whereby the record strip or piece is supported exteriorly of the casing, said casing being also depressed between the slots or openings toprovide a seat for the record strip or piece.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES GRIEVE. Vitnesses:

RICHARD W. EvANs, Jr., HARRIS M. TAYLOR. 

